How do you identify a Crested Cuckoo-Dove?

The crested cuckoo-dove is a large and robust pigeon, with a length of 40–42 cm (16–17 in). Full identification notes are on this page.

How big is a Crested Cuckoo-Dove?

The Crested Cuckoo-Dove is a medium sized bird weighing about 259 g.

Where can you see a Crested Cuckoo-Dove?

The Crested Cuckoo-Dove occurs in 2 countries, including the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea.

What birds look similar to a Crested Cuckoo-Dove?

The Crested Cuckoo-Dove is most easily confused with the Pied Cuckoo-Dove and the Great Cuckoo-Dove.

Is the Crested Cuckoo-Dove endangered?

The Crested Cuckoo-Dove is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Crested Cuckoo-Dove

Reinwardtoena crassirostris

Doves and Pigeons · Columbiformes · Legendary

The Crested Cuckoo-Dove (Reinwardtoena crassirostris) is a legendary doves and pigeon found in 2 countries, weighing about 259 g. The crested cuckoo-dove is a species of bird in the pigeon family, Columbidae.

Least ConcernLegendaryEats fruitforest259 g

About the Crested Cuckoo-Dove

The crested cuckoo-dove is a species of bird in the pigeon family, Columbidae. First described by English zoologist John Gould in 1856, it is endemic to the Solomon Islands archipelago, where it mainly inhabits hill forests at elevations of 500–900 m (1,600–3,000 ft). It is a large and robust pigeon, with a length of 40–42 cm (16–17 in) and a distinctive pale purplish-grey crest. Adults are mainly bluish-grey, with a pale greyish-buff throat, blackish tail, and yellow-tipped reddish bill. Both sexes look alike. Juveniles lack the crest, have darker heads, and have duller wings.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

How to identify it

The crested cuckoo-dove is a large and robust pigeon, with a length of 40–42 cm (16–17 in). Its most prominent feature is the long, pale purplish-grey crest made by the hairy-textured feathers on the top of the head and back of the neck. This crest is held up at an angle of 45 degrees when the pigeons perch. The head is pale purplish-grey and the throat is pale greyish-buff, turning bluish-grey towards the breast and neck. The underparts, upper back, and wings are darker bluish-black, and the tail is blackish. In some birds, the breast and underparts have a light yellowish-brown tinge. Voice: The species's advertising call is a mournful, whistling wha...whuaaw...wha...whuaaw (also described as a hoo-woooahha): the first note rises in pitch, and the second note is more drawn-out and slurred, first rising before falling and trailing off. The call is far-carrying and does not differ much across its range.

Where it lives

Solomon Islands Papua New Guinea

When to see it

Best months: April, July, September, October, November, with peak activity in September. It is a variable species across most of its range.

Easily confused with

Quick questions

How do you identify a Crested Cuckoo-Dove?: The crested cuckoo-dove is a large and robust pigeon, with a length of 40–42 cm (16–17 in). Full identification notes are on this page.
How big is a Crested Cuckoo-Dove?: The Crested Cuckoo-Dove is a medium sized bird weighing about 259 g.
Where can you see a Crested Cuckoo-Dove?: The Crested Cuckoo-Dove occurs in 2 countries, including the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea.
What birds look similar to a Crested Cuckoo-Dove?: The Crested Cuckoo-Dove is most easily confused with the Pied Cuckoo-Dove and the Great Cuckoo-Dove.
Is the Crested Cuckoo-Dove endangered?: The Crested Cuckoo-Dove is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Learn the Crested Cuckoo-Dove for real

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